Alcmena's story takes place in Book IX, page 299 in Ovid's Metamorphoses and the story is rather simple. Alcmena is born into the world world (parents are Elctryon and Anaxo) and she marries the King of Thebes. Everything is going well and they have an heir to the throne; but Jove being the cruel god he is comes down to earth and seduces/impregnates her. This stops the King of Thebes from ever sleeping with Alcmena again because he fears Jove's jealousy and relationships cannot last without the sexual ingredient.
Everything is going fine in her pregnancy until she reaches the ninth month and starts having contractions. They are extremely painful for her since female mortals are not equipped correctly to give birth to a god. She is brought to the heavens and calls on Luncina (mid-wife) who is cut-off and instructed by Juno to pro-long the birth. She does this by sitting down, crossing her legs, inter-weaving her fingers, and saying a chant that closes the birth-canal. Alcmena, "longs to die from pain; my words would move the hardest of stones to tears. Around me the Theban woman also pleaded, prayed: they tried to give me the strength to meet this test. Now one of my attendants was Galanthis" (p.300) is called upon by Alcmena. Galanthis surprises everyone by declaring Hercules has been born and Lucina more so than anyone else jumps out of her seat, uncrossing her legs, unweaving her fingers, and stopping the chant; opening the birth canal and out plops Hercules (for real this time). Galanthis's punishment for betraying the gods is being transformed into a weasel but because she was loyal to Alcmena she keeps her as a side-kick for the rest of her days. Alcmena was also the last mortal woman that Jove seduces so something must have had an impact on his feelings :(
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